R - Biology / DNA Program

Subject Area:

R - Biology / DNA Program

Class Location:

California Criminalistics Institute / Sacramento

Class Description:

In complex cases where we can't do everything, how do we know what we can and can't let go? Is thorough work required on every item, or can a cursory exam of some items be sufficient? How can you defend your decisions in court? This two-day course will cover principles that forensic scientists can use in deciding where to begin and when the work is done. This approach emphasizes making impact-based decisions early in the case and concluding work by evaluating the impact of results on the case hypotheses. The principles are presented as conceptual tools that are applied in a step-wise fashion to biological-evidence casework examples. The presentation will consist of interleaved lectures and exercises that participants will do in small discussion groups. This class covers material suitable for a forensic scientist with complex casework experience. Class limited to 36 students. Casework Approach I introduces tools that apply to all types of cases. Casework Approach II briefly introduces the same tools, then adds and spends more time on tools for complex casework including using case hypotheses that address evaluating various scenarios to explain what occurred.

Instructor:

TBA

Teaching Methods:

Lecture, classroom exercises, and discussion

Objectives:

This workshop provides conceptual tools for the forensic practitioner to use in making the everyday decisions upon which the development of sound and defensible scientific information rests. Doing a thorough job on a case does not mean examining everything or doing all possible analyses. Upon completion of this workshop, the participants should have the principles -- and a logical framework -- for making decisions about the focus, priority, and sequence of examinations and when the work can be considered done. The suggested approach is grounded in understanding the case context and is directed toward providing information that addresses the overall case issues.

Prerequisites:

Experience with complex casework. Complex analysis involves casework where a unique approach may be necessary; or a single definitive conclusion is not possible and weighted conclusions are warranted; or casework requiring the reconstruction of an event or series of events based on the interpretation of physical evidence.

Tuition:

No cost to California public crime laboratory personnel. A $240.00 tuition fee will be required of all other public agency, private sector, or out-of-state applicants.

Course Contact:

Subject Area:

R - Biology / DNA Program

Class Location:

California Criminalistics Institute / Sacramento

Class Description:

Whenever we open a case to work on, we are always making decisions. Which items should be examined first? Should all the items be examined, or only some of them? What type of information does each examination provide and how does that impact decisions on what to examine? How do we know what to sample and where? What is the significance of the test results in the context of the case? How does one know when the work is done? This two-day class will provide a logical framework and principles for making defensible decisions while working on non-complex biological-evidence cases. The principles are elicited as students are presented with casework examples. Examples from many cases will be used. The presentation will consist of interleaved lectures and exercises that participants will do in small discussion groups. This class covers material suitable for a forensic scientist with little casework experience or little experience with complex casework. Class is limited to 36 students. Casework Approach I introduces tools that apply to all types of cases. Casework Approach II briefly introduces the same tools, then adds and spends more time on tools for complex casework including using case hypotheses that address evaluating various scenarios to explain what occurred.

Instructor:

BFS instructors

Teaching Methods:

Lecture, classroom exercises, and discussion

Objectives:

This workshop provides conceptual tools for the forensic practitioner to use in making the everyday decisions upon which the development of sound and defensible scientific information rests. Doing a thorough job on a case does not mean examining everything or doing all possible analyses. Upon completion of this workshop, the participants should have the principles -- and a logical framework -- for making decisions about the focus, priority, and sequence of examinations and when the work can be considered done. The suggested approach is grounded in understanding the case context and is directed toward providing information that addresses the overall case issues.

Prerequisites:

Little or no casework required. Non-complex casework involves laboratory examination or a standard battery of examinations or analyses, the results of which lead to a definitive conclusion acceptable to experts in the field.

Tuition:

No cost to California public crime laboratory personnel. A $240.00 tuition fee will be required of all other public agency, private sector, or out-of-state applicants.

Course Contact:

Subject Area:

R - Biology / DNA Program

Class Location:

California Criminalistics Institute / Sacramento or Los Angeles

Class Description:

This 4-day (32-hour) course is designed to teach the beginning serologist the methods and tests to locate and identify dried body fluids. The course will cover the tests commonly used in the forensic field: description and scientific basis, strengths and weaknesses, choice of testing procedures (analytical scheme), test interpretation, and preservation of biological evidence. The course will emphasize the testing of blood, semen, and saliva, but sweat and urine will also be covered, and vaginal secretions and fecal material will be discussed. Each class is limited to 12 students. POST certified.

Course Contact:

Subject Area:

R - Biology / DNA Program

Class Location:

See Schedule

Class Description:

This three-day (24-hour) course will cover basic principles of statistics and probability relevant to key concepts in population genetics and profile frequency estimates of PCR-based/discrete allele systems. The recommendations made by the 1996 National Research Council in 'The Evaluation of Forensic DNA Evidence'' will be reviewed. Approaches to statistical analysis of parentage testing, kinship and mass disaster victim identification will also be covered. This course is intended for criminalists involved in the analysis of biological evidence or working in missing person DNA programs. Each class is limited to 30 students.

Instructor:

Dr. Kirk Lohmueller

Teaching Methods:

Classroom lectures and group discussions

Objectives:

Students will be required to demonstrate their proficiency in practical and written tests

Course Contact:

Subject Area:

R - Biology / DNA Program

Class Location:

Jan Bashinski DNA Laboratory or CCI-Los Angeles

Class Description:

This 5-day (40-hour) course will provide students with information on short tandem repeat (STR) typing and will include: (1) intensive software training, (2) principles of PCR, (3) principles of electrophoresis and capillary electrophoresis, (4) review of Identifiler loci, and (5) fragment sizing on different analytical platforms Each class is limited to 12 students. POST Certified

Instructor:

Various

Teaching Methods:

Classroom lectures, group discussions, and laboratory exercises

Objectives:

Students will be required to demonstrate their proficiency in practical and written tests.

Students will be required to demonstrate their proficiency in practical and written tests.

Prerequisites:

DNA Extraction and Quantitation, SWGDAM required courses, or the consent of course coordinator

Preparation:

Pre-course reading may be assigned

Tuition:

POST-certified; no cost to California public crime laboratory personnel. A $300.00 tuition fee will be charged to participants from other public agencies, private sector laboratories, and out of state laboratories.